Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Unfortunately, another blues master has recently joined the Angel Band. 

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith died of a stroke at his home on September 16, 2011.  He  was born in Helena, Arkansas on January 19, 1936   and in 1954 began playing harmonica in the Chicago Blues Scene.  In the following years, he played music that revolutionized the blues, changing instruments and playing the drums on all of Muddy Waters’ Grammy winning albums. 

In more recent years, he played in the Legendary Blues Band, which included Pinetop Perkins, who also passed away earlier this year.  Wille “Big Eyes” Smith played harmonica and received a Grammy in 2010 for his work with Pinetop Perkins for Best Traditional Blues CD for Joined at the Hip with Telarc Records.

Willie “Big Eyes” Smith was scheduled to play the King Biscuit Blues Festival this October, as he has many times in the past.  He will be sorely missed, as will the other blues greats that also passed away this year, Honeyboy Edwards, Big Jack Johnson, and Willie’s most recent collaborator, pianist Pinetop Perkins. 

Thankfully, the world and the blues community have begun to recognize the greatness of these artists while they are still living, and the artists have been passing down their art to younger generations.  Willie “Big Eyes” Smith’s legacy will be continued by his son, “Beady Eyes” Smith.  Visit Willie “Big Eyes” Smith’s webpage for a more in depth biography, and Blues Blast to read an interview from June of this year, as well as a well written obituary.

RIP Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, you will be missed.